FINANCE INSTITUTIONS' INCOME OVER US$1 BILLION IN FIRST HALF-YEAR

( Editorial: --> 6125 ) ZAGREB Oct 6 (Hina) - Income to finance institutions - banks, savings banks and savings/loans cooperatives in the first six months of this year amounted to US$1.06 billion. This income was US$229.5 million or 28 per cent higher than that realised for the same period last year. At the same time, expenses whose rate of increase was 1.3 index points was faster than the income growth rate and it amounted to US$918 which meant they were US$32.2 million higher said the Croatian Institution for Payment Transactions on Tuesday. A breakdown of the income shows that the greatest income was derived from interest. However, the relationship between income and expenses in all three categories has worsened. In the said period then, for each 100 kunas expenditure 1.2 kuna less was earned this year compared to the same period last year. The relationship between profits and losses before tax also worsened in line with the decrease in relations between income and expenses. Once tax advances have been subtracted from profits which amounted to US$7.9 the profit for the current term amounts to US$ 14 million, which is 153.4 per cent higher than in the first half of last year. (Hina) sp jn 061450 MET oct 98